On a better note

[Chewy]

IF you guys haven't noticed by the pictures, chewy has been a little bit plucking. Well I have been watching him for plucking and he hasn't been!!!! His chest is almost fully feathered again.
Before anyone asks he has a bill of health. I think it is me stressing is the reason for his plucking. I know I'm picking myself a little. No I am not cutting or scratchign just finding lil things to pick.
But Back to Chewy........... I have been leaving him int he cage more when I am stressed, unless he comes out on his own, then I go and pick him up and cuddle him. He is starting to play and entertain himself.
All things I never taught him to do when If irst got him. So it's awesome that he's teaching himself that. He has always and I mean ALWAYS had toys in his cage, and I don't take them out till they are ratty or he kills them.
He has one toy that he's had for three yrs, he doesn't play with it so much as he hides in it. It has these pieces of wood that has holes in them. and rope. He hides in the rope. The holes are too small for him to get into. I think they are supposed to hold treats.

 

[Lobby]

Well I it has been said many times that 'toos are very emphatic. Goofy didn't start plucking until Jenni's car accident. Stress went up, her sleep went down because of Jenni's walker making so much noise. Now a year later she is still plucking.

Making her forage for all her food really slowed her down but did not stop her. Now Strawberry is not as good at foraging as Goofy but she is getting better. What has really seemed to help Goofy stop plucking is doing clicker training. Just once or twice a day for 10 min at a time seems to have stopped the plucking. As they say YMMV.

 

[Chewy]

Thank youi. I will try the clicker but how do you et him not to be scared of the clicker lol, he's scared of EVERYTHING. I or the bird store really did anumber on him. I sure as heck hope it wasn't me.

 

[Lobby]

Goofy was afraid of the clicker at first, I just left it near his cage so he could see it and get used to it. I have the clicker that comes with the bird clicker book so the noise didn't bother her. Some people put the clicker in their pocket so the fid doesn't see it and to dampen the sound if it bothers the bird.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

thanks for sharing the good news Little Generals plucking is seasonal he always plucks in the fall and lets it grow out in the spring so it may take at least a year before you know for certain

 

[wolfysluv]

Can you tell us what sort of clicker training you've done with Goofy and how you use it?
Do you mean training sessions where you teach him tricks to keep his mind good? Or is it more, like is it used in other ways?

 

[Lobby]

Can you tell us what sort of clicker training you've done with Goofy and how you use it?
Do you mean training sessions where you teach him tricks to keep his mind good? Or is it more, like is it used in other ways?

Goofy and I have just started clicker training. I have just done some basic tricks with him. So far just some little things: targeting, fetch on command, to get on a scale, and to turn around on command.

We are still working on the turn around. He just seems to love the extra attention so much. He looks so forward to the training sessions and he seems to be letting his chest feathers grow back now.